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Aruel,or inventing a new BJD hip joint inspired by anatomy…

Whilst my manufacturer is molding and casting the first resin samples of Aleah ( to answer everyone’s question : Yes, the preorder is still open so it is still time to get one ^^) I of course worked on new projects as I am like a shark : If I ever would stop sculpting, I would surely die…

Therefore I casted my new porcelain BJD, two models you already saw : Marlene and “That” which are not drying as I expect because of the moisture in the winter air. Therefore I sculpt awaiting for them to dry correctly and not jeopardize the castings during firing which could easily explode if still wet.

So, of course, I grabbed my clay and improvised, as usually.
The only thing I was sure about was the size of the doll : a MSD. I wanted her to be bigger than Aleah because I have in mind some customization ideas which requires “more space…”
Came the moment to saw… But it was around 6 in the morning therefore time to go to bed, which I did.
Insomnia…. Insomnia is my oldest companion and I can say that we share my bed about 4 times a week. It ordinary leads me to been awoken till Noon or one in the afternoon, then I collapse for about three hours to get up in a total lost state of mind.
Anyway, Miss Insomnia was lying down by my side and my eyes caught up with my work table which is in my bedroom and the wall covered with anatomic references ( how glamorous and romantic is that? :D)
Anatomy is my weakness in the way that I cannot resist to it. it is more an obsession than a tool for me. It invades my mind and a sort of avidity to see more, further, better suddenly possesses me. it’s a pure fascination.

I have some Renaissance drawings on this wall and on one stands just a pair of hips bones. I looked at it thinking, “it fits the round shape of the butts… Butts could be a sphere”…. Then I stared at it!
I got up fast as light and grabbed again my in progress torso.

That was it. I had it. The idea was here. I drew a line for me to saw onto my prototype and it seemed ” logical”.
All I had to do was to finish that torso and to saw… To see if I was right or if my poor sleepless mind was raving.

I can tell you two days later that I wasn’t raving at all and that it works beyond all my expectations.

You can see on the photo of this prototype of mine that I started but never finished though ( Too small I think) that the hips joint looks like panties.
Double panties in this case for it’s a double joint :

I inverted that on this new joint.
As you can see on Aruel which still has a very in progress head, the butts part is totally round. This allows the doll to sit as a human being would : right on the butts. Also, the aesthetic line is in my humble opinion very interesting for it does not cut the torso like a panties joint does and that optic illusion gives to the doll a more discreet jointing though more posable at the same time.
For customization it is also interesting and would allow larger tattoos for example without being disturbed by the joint line.

It still needs adjustments but I am so far pretty satisfied with it ^^

It is already confirmed that this prototype is to be in resin in 2012 ( very soon then).
She is named Aruel after my dear friend Laure. I am proud to call her my friend, and very thankful for her kindness and constant encouragement. She is one of those persons that when you meet them, instead of saying ” Long time no see”, you’d rather say ” Long life no see…”
Some things are meant to be. As a very few friendships.
And if you wonder if I intend to name my dolls after those I love : you are right dear reader!
I am the luckiest to have marvelous friends and I feel honored when they allow me to name my modest dolls after them.

For now, Goodnight as I need to catch up with my sleep; and the soonest possible I hope to show you those knees joints which are haunting my often sleepless mind ^^

It’s a very neat and interesting joint; although I have seen it created before (by an artist that calls herself Witchylana) I believe you have ‘invented’ it from your own mind and without seeing it elsewhere. I really like the look of it and would like to test it for myself at some point in the future.

Hi and thank you Twigling ^^
I googled Witchylana and found her but not the joint. I like her fox anyway ^^
Well, I am satisfied to have imagined it on my own … I hope it will bring anyway a little more possibilities to our profession…
I’d love to see yours!

Well, the joint is not the same cause she made the mistake I almost did : her cut line is the same way than on regular hips joint : with such belly line and iliac crests on the lower part, the doll is almost immobile and it prevents it to move and pose correctly. To make my joint and get that nice way to pose, you must invert the cut! or it just doesn’t work.
I truly cannot wait to see yours, hope you will share it 🙂

Yes that is the one I was thinking of:) I went back to her WIP thread on DoA (from the old-old Artist subforum, which is now long-since closed), and I think she said the joint did not have much mobility, and that she later modified it. Not sure if the project was ever completed, either.